Liverpool reclaimed the Premier league lead in an enthralling title race as Alexis Mac Allister’s thunderbolt and a late header by Cody Gakpo secured a nervy 3-1 home victory over bottom club Sheffield United on Thursday.
Jurgen Klopp’s side has 70 points from 30 games, two ahead of Arsenal and three more than champions Manchester City, both of whom won on Wednesday to crank up the pressure.
A bizarre opener by Darwin Nunez after 17 minutes when he closed down keeper Ivo Grbic and blocked his attempted clearance into the net looked set to open the floodgates as Liverpool sought the win it needed to dislodge Arsenal from top spot.
But Liverpool was way below its best and an adventurous United side stunned the Anfield crowd shortly after halftime when a Connor Bradley own goal levelled the scores.
The visitors looked capable of hanging on for a shock point before a loose ball came out to Mac Allister in the 76th minute and he smashed a swerving right-foot effort into the top corner.
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Gakpo then made sure of the points in the 90th minute as Liverpool took another step towards the perfect Klopp send-off as the manager prepares to leave at the end of the season.
United is 10 points adrift of the safety zone and look set for a swift return to the Championship.
LIVERPOOL KNACK
If the key to winning titles is to keep grinding out wins even when performance levels dip, then Liverpool has the knack.
United was supposed to sacrificial lambs under the Anfield lights but gave its hosts a mighty scare until Argentina midfielder Mac Allister’s moment of magic settled the nerves.
Liverpool was struggling to quell a lively United side but Mac Allister took matters in to his own hands with a finish that sent the home crowd into raptures -- his fierce shot spinning and rising into the top corner past a helpless Grbic.
If that was spectacular, Liverpool’s opener had been comical as Grbic took too long to make a routine clearance and Nunez jumped to block with the ball rebounding into an empty net off the Uruguayan who had his back to goal.
Liverpool had begun in sloppy fashion with James McAtee wasting a first-minute chance for the visitors when his effort was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher.
Despite having a remarkable 83 per cent of possession Liverpool never looked secure and an increasingly confident United equalised when Gustavo Hamer met a cross with a header which glanced in off the leg off the unfortunate Bradley.
Liverpool would not be denied though and chalked up its seventh win in its last eight league games.
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